Meszaros makes most of start before Olympic break as Flyers win again

By
Rob Parent, Delaware County Daily Times

Saturday, February 8, 2014

PHILADELPHIA — Bummed out because he’s frequently been kept out, Andrej Meszaros received what might have qualified as a surprising parting gift Saturday from Flyers coach Craig Berube — a spot in the lineup against the Calgary Flames.

In appreciation, Meszaros helped out on two Flyers goals and more significantly, didn’t do anything to help the Flames score in what turned out to be a 2-1 Flyers victory at Wells Fargo Center.

Meszaros was credited for an assist on a Brayden Schenn goal 8:04 into the second period, and wasn’t credited for helping to set up a goal by Scott Hartnell’s unwitting skate at 4:04 of the third period.

Meszaros also stepped up his ice time in the third period after Nick Grossmann went out with what is thought to be a relatively minor shoulder injury. But the only credit he seeks is that of the guy who makes out the lineup card. Meszaros was a healthy scratch in four of the Flyers’ previous six games, and the two in which he did dress during that stretch coincided with a Kimmo Timonen foot injury.

“I want to be in the lineup all the time,” said Meszaros, a healthy scratch 24 times this season. “That’s how I feel all the time, but it’s not my decision. It is what it is, but I’m glad I got the chance to play tonight before I go to the Olympics.”

What lies ahead for Meszaros, Timonen and three other European Flyers is an Olympic tournament that offers the oft-mentioned honor of playing for their countries — in Meszaros’ case, Slovakia. What it also may hold for Meszaros is a chance to show that his recent offensive surge doesn’t necessarily have to come at the expense of defensive mistakes.

Do that and Meszaros, an unrestricted free agent this summer, could turn himself into a valuable commodity ahead of the on-rushing March 5 trade deadline. Or he could be a valuable playoff piece for a Flyers team that seems to be getting better as the season gets older.

“I think he’s improved throughout the year,” Berube said of Meszaros, who barring a trade might wind up sharing time with Erik Gustafsson down the stretch. “I think the injuries and stuff he’s had, obviously coming back and playing, he wasn’t himself and he wasn’t playing like himself. He’s pretty well back to form now.”

From an offensive standpoint, Berube likes the aggressiveness Meszaros has shown.

“He does some really good things offensively for us,” he said. “Shoots the puck well, and again, he’s been a good pro about being in and out of the lineup and so has Gustafsson.”

Hal Gill was scratched from his 55th game of the season Saturday.

“That’s just the way it is right now,” Berube said of his eight-(semi)strong defensive corps. “It’ll work itself out eventually.”

Hence, the trade deadline, which is only 10 days after the Olympic break moratorium on trades ends. Meanwhile, whether it’s Meszaros or the recently hot Gustafsson (team-best plus-11) back there, the forwards are appreciating the extra offensive boost from the blue line.

Meszaros’ contributions Saturday helped the Flyers (30-23-6, 66 points) gain a fourth straight victory and remain right on the heels of the second-place Rangers (67 points) in the Metropolitan Division.

Without question these Flyers are on a roll again — just in time for a nearly three-week break between games while hockey fans turn an eye to lovely downtown Sochi.

“Yeah, it kind of sucks when you’re in a groove,” Wayne Simmonds said of the break, “but everyone has to deal with it right now, so there’s nothing we can do about it. We’ve just got to be focused when we get back.”

And in a rather rare appearance, Ray Emery was very focused in the crease. Starting in net for the first time since Jan. 23 in Columbus, he was outstanding when he had to be, stopping 32 shots by the Flames, who might be wallowing in next-to-nothing place in the West, but had won six of seven games coming in.

“(Emery) played awesome for us today and I think he’s played great in every start,” Simmonds said. “I’m just happy tonight we played for him and had a better game.”

The Flames (22-29-7, 51 points) did get to Emery late, as Matt Stajan shoveled in a loose puck off a TJ Galiardi shot while the Flyers goalie was down with 2:26 left in regulation.

But the Flyers were defensively strong after that and the Flames never threatened, even with an extra attacker on the ice in the final minute.

“Especially during the last stretch of six or seven games, we’ve tightened up and really haven’t given teams much,” Emery said.

The Flyers had a bevy of scoring chances early on that didn’t pan out. As the game neared its midpoint, Meszaros dished to Simmonds, who has been sparking a second Flyers line that lately has been better than all others.

Simmonds set the stage for a shot from the top of the slot from Schenn that beat Flames goalie Reto Berra 8:04 into the second period. It helped erase three straight could-be chances that Schenn missed out on earlier in the game, this after scoring just one point (a goal) in his previous 10 games.

The Flames gave the Flyers some fits in the second period in keeping it close, but 4:04 into the third, Claude Giroux banked a shot off a Hartnell skate, and the change of direction was too much for Berra to overcome. It was 2-0, but the Flames weren’t done.

Stajan’s goal, which subsequent reviews indicated came with the Flames offside, could have ruined a day’s work for Emery. But in the end all he’d lose was a shutout opportunity. In winning five of their last six games, the Flyers have outscored the opposition 20-9. With Emery’s win over Calgary and Steve Mason’s performances in the other five, the Flyers’ goaltenders have combined for a 1.34 goals-against average and .958 saves percentage in that six-game stretch.

With a little help from their defensive friends, of course.

“I think it was a great stretch heading into this break,” Emery said. “We’ve put ourselves in a pretty good spot going (forward) in the year.”